Following Through
by rarelycanon
Summary: AU. Rose has a New Year's Resolution that she doesn't want her best friend JD to know. After all, she's not so sure whether she'll ever get the courage to tell him how she really feels anyway.


_**2014 Resolutions**_

_Use full words and sentences in texts/tweets/posts. Also punctuation._  
_Sleep on or before midnight._  
_Maintain body weight between 120-125 pounds._  
_Learn another language._  
_Pick up a physical sport._  
_Be more resistant to impulse buys._  
_Tell JD how I feel._

Rose stared at the last item on her list, wondering why she had even bothered to write it down. It had been on her resolutions list in the past year too - as well as the year before that - and so far she has done nothing about it.

So what makes her think this year will be any different?

She sighed and tore off the page from her notebook. Then, just as she had finished crumpling the paper in her hand, the door to her bedroom opened and a familiar voice rang out.

"Rose! There you are!"

A tall and lanky young man strode inside the room then promptly leaped on the bed beside her.

"I've been looking everywhere for you." he said, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"God, JD!" Rose shrieked as she scrambled away from him. "Learn to knock will you? Jeez."

"What? I've been away for a week and that's all I get? No 'I miss you's' and such?"

"Well, I'm just saying. It wouldn't hurt to knock."

JD gave out a huff. With a roll of his eyes, he pushed himself up and out of Rose's bed and then proceeded to make a show of knocking on her door.

"There. Better?"

Rose responded with an eyeroll of her own. Without thinking, she threw the paper ball that she was holding at him, where it bounced off his head and landed near his feet.

"Oi, don't get violent, woman!" he said with a laugh.

He then bent down to pick up the crumpled ball.

"What is this, anyway?"

The next thing he knew, Rose was tackling him to the ground.

"What the hell, Rose!"

"Give it here!" she cried while quickly grabbing the paper ball trapped loosely in his hand.

JD groaned, lightly elbowing Rose off him. He rolled to his side and gingerly tried to sit up. He then ran his hand through his head and checked for any bumps or bruises.

"What the hell, Rose," he grumbled, "What's gotten into you?"

Meanwhile, Rose was already on her feet and making her way towards her desk. With a little more force than necessary, she threw the offending ball into her trash bin.

"It's nothing," she told him with a wave of her hand. "Forget about it."

JD slowly rose to his feet. He brushed off the slight dust on his pants, then shot Rose a mischievous grin.

"Now, I'm definitely curious. What is it?"

"JD, I said forget it, okay?" Rose insisted. She turned back to her bed and flopped herself down again.

"But you do realize that telling me to forget about it will only make me think about it more, right?"

"I said, forget it! It's just a stupid list."

JD walked back towards the bed. He sat on the edge and gave Rose a little nudge.

"It's not nothing if it's gotten you so worked up," he reasoned. "Now, c'mon tell me."

Rose gave out a sound of annoyance.

"It's just a bunch of New Year's Resolutions, alright? No big deal."

"You're continuous insistence that it's nothing is actually being counterproductive, you know."

At her glare, he raised his hands in surrender.

"I'm just saying. I mean, what's so bad about it that I can't see?" He made a move to peek at the bin.

Rose let out another strangled cry and dove. She retrieved the ball in one hand, while the other reached over to her desk and pulled her drawer open.

Looking at her with one eyebrow raised, JD nodded at the items she drew out in her search.

"I thought you said you quit smoking."

"Uh, I sorta forgot?"

JD sighed. He gave her an amused shake of the head which she returned with a shrug and a sheepish smile. She continued fishing inside her drawer until she managed to produce a magenta-colored lighter.

"Aha!" she cried triumphantly.

Then with a click of a wheel, she proceeded to light the paper ball on fire.

Finally satisfied with her work, she dropped the now-flaming ball back into the bin and turned to JD.

"There. Now where's my souvenir?"

"You're acting really weird today." JD remarked.

"I'm always weird," Rose shot back. "And you haven't answered my question yet."

She held out her hands and made a grabby gesture.

"Where is it?"

JD gave her a funny look.

"Where's what?"

"My souvenir! Tell me you at least got me an 'I Love NY' shirt or something!"

"Why would I get you an 'I Love NY' shirt of all things?"

"I don't know," Rose shrugged. "That's what most people usually get. Like it's proof they've actually been to New York."

JD laughed.

"That's just stupid!" he exclaimed. "Anybody can print a shirt like that! It doesn't prove anything."

"Well, sorry Mr. Smartypants."

JD shook his head in an attempt to contain his laughter. He motioned Rose to move a little so he can settle in more comfortably beside her.

"Anyway, we're not most people." he said with huff. "So I got you something better."

At this, Rose's face lit up. He couldn't help but return her grin. She raised her arms again and made grabby gestures.

"Really? Where is it then? Give it to me."

JD's smile turned sheepish. He ran a hand through his hair and then a light tug on his ear.

"Er, I sort of left it in my room," he explained lamely. "It's still inside my bag. I haven't bothered to unpack yet."

Rose shoved him playfully.

"So go get it then. Your house is practically thirty seconds away from here."

"Didn't you just hear me? I haven't unpacked my stuff yet."

"So?"

"What if my mum sees me?"

"So?"

JD looked at her like the answer was obvious.

"If she sees me, she'll end up nagging me to unpack."

"But isn't that what you'll be doing in the first place?" Rose asked, confused. "When you get me my gift?"

"Ah, forget it." he rolled his eyes and sighed exasperatedly.

"I'll give it later tonight, okay?"

Rose pouted.

"Alright, alright."

They shared a few more minutes of companionable silence before JD spoke again.

"So... New Year's resolutions, huh?"

Rose groaned.

"God JD, let go of that stupid list already!"

"But I can't help it!" JD cried. He then leaned closer to her until his face was inches away from hers.

"You never keep secrets from me." he whispered.

Rose swallowed nervously. She shook her head then gave him a light shove.

"It wasn't even a secret!" she insisted. "It's just a stupid list."

"Why couldn't you show me then?"

"I-"

Rose sighed and threw her hands up in exasperation.

"It's just a list of things I've been meaning to do, alright?"

"And what's so bad about that?"

"I just- I just don't know if I can follow through, you know?" she admitted, sinking back into her bed.

"I've been trying to psych myself up only to chicken out at the last minute. Before I know it, another year has passed and it's New Year again."

She looked over to JD and gave him a tired smile.

"I just don't know, okay? I don't think I'll ever get to do it. I want to, but at the same time, I don't. I don't know."

Again, they both fell silent. JD sat reclining on the headboard with a contemplative look on his face, while Rose stared at her ceiling, counting the non-existent cracks.

"I think I get it." JD murmured.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Remember last New Year's? Where I had just one resolution?"

"Uh-huh. You never told me what it was, too!" she giggled. "You didn't see me put up a fuss over it, you hypocrite!"

JD chuckled.

"Fine, fine. I give up. I won't bother you about it anymore."

"Thank you. So you were saying about that one resolution?"

"Yeah. I resolved to do this one thing and up 'til now, I haven't done it yet. One simple thing. It's kinda like what you feel about yours, actually. I want to do it, but at the same time, I don't."

"How come?"

"I'm scared of what's gonna happen after I do it."

"Is it something that would take long to finish?"

"Nope. Like I said, it's really simple. Something you can get over and done with in a few seconds."

"Well, are there risks?"

"A lot."

"Will it be worth it?"

Sensing his hesitation, Rose sat up and reached over to gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He gave her a fond smile and squeezed back. They stayed like that for a few more seconds before JD bowed his head.

"Yeah." he breathed. "Yeah, I think it'll be worth it."

"Then do it!" Rose encouraged him. She fished out her phone in her pocket and checked the time.

"Look," she said as she showed him the screen. "It's only 4 o'clock. You still got eight hours to do that thing!"

She motioned JD to get up, which he followed with a chuckle.

"Go," she insisted. "Go do your thing and I'll see you at the party tonight, okay? We're gonna welcome the New Year like a boss."

She grabbed JD's hands again with her own. While his lips were poised into a smile, his eyes still seemed unsure.

"It'll be okay, JD." she promised. "If you really think it's worth it, then chances are, it'll turn out okay."

She then pulled him into a quick hug followed by a light push on the direction of her door.

"Now leave me alone! I've got a party to prepare for. And don't forget to bring me my gift!"

She was already turning to her closet, intent of finding something to wear later when she heard JD call out her name. She rolled her eyes.

"JD, what are you still doing here? I thought I told you to-"

The words died on her lips as she felt JD's pressing unto hers. One hand was cradling her jaw while the other was resting on her shoulder. Her eyes began to close.

But then, it was over. Rose opened her eyes and watched JD pull away and do the same. His hands fell to his sides. He smiled.

"There."

He took a step back then turned to walk out of her door.

"See you at the party tonight, Rose."


End file.
